Currently, when a user desires to transfer source data from one or more source documents to data fields in an electronic form, or other target document, the user typically must first access the source document and then either copy or memorize the desired source data associated with a single and specific data entry field of the target electronic form, or other target document, and then toggle over to access the target electronic form, or other target document, and then manually enter or paste the desired source data associated with the single and specific data entry field of the target electronic form, or other target document, into the single and specific data entry field of the target electronic form, or other target document. Then this process must be repeated for each target electronic form data entry field, or other target document.
Since many target electronic forms or documents include numerous data entry fields, the process described above is often: very time consuming, and therefore labor intensive; a common source of human error; very processor and computing system power intensive; and is often a significant source of user frustration and job dissatisfaction. In addition, since, using the conventional toggle-memorize/cut-toggle-enter/paste process described above, the user must constantly toggle between documents, the user often loses context and the ability to track what data has been entered/updated and what data is old.
In an effort to alleviate the significant issues associated with the conventional toggle-cut-toggle-paste process described above, several automated data mapping schemes have been created and implemented in data intensive applications and industries. However, automated mapping systems typically do not provide any significant user control, or input, and do not allow the user to select what data is transferred/mapped. Consequently, since automated mapping systems are basically machine directed systems, and therefore lack cognitive reasoning beyond their programmed process, these automatic mapping systems: are typically highly customized and designed specific source documents and specific target forms and documents, thereby often making this an expensive and high maintenance option; are relatively inflexible and lack the ability to tolerate/accommodate even insignificant variations in field placement and/or field nomenclature in either the source documents or the target electronic form or document; are highly susceptible to machine errors and/or human errors, and often propagate these errors significantly before they are discovered; and are often unable to cope with situations where there is redundant, seemingly contradictory, or irregular, data. As noted above, these weaknesses in automated mapping systems are often due to the fact these systems largely by-pass the user, i.e., do not provide for user selection of data to be mapped, significant user input in the process, or user control over the process.
Clipboarding is another method for transferring source data from one or more source documents to a target electronic form, or other target document. A Clipboard is a block of system memory that can be used to store data temporarily. Multiple memory objects can be stored in the clipboard. Memory objects on the clipboard can be in any data format, called a clipboard format. Each format is identified by an unsigned integer value. Once the data has been copied to the clipboard it can be pasted into another location.
Clipboarding can be a useful tool, however, there are some problems associated with it. For instance, currently clipboard content data is typically not automatically displayed to the user prior to the user pasting the clipboard content data into the target form, or other target document. In addition, in the few cases where the clipboard content data can be viewed prior to the user pasting the clipboard content data into the target form or other target document, the placement of the clipboard content data display is not easily selected and/or modified by the user, i.e., if displayed at all, the clipboard content data display is typically a side bar displayed in the same static and pre-determined location and even then, usually only after the user specifically activates the side bar.
In addition, while some currently available clipboard systems do provide limited cut/copy/paste capability, currently available clipboard systems only allow the entire clipboard content to be transferred at once, and, as noted above, often without providing a user viewing capability. As a result, currently available clipboard systems work reasonably well for transferring a single data element, such as a name, but are not very useful if you want to move multiple data elements to multiple locations in a target form, or other target document, such as a name, address, phone number etc. This is because using currently available clipboard systems every time you paste, the entire set of data, including multiple data elements, will be pasted/transferred at once to whatever data filed and/or location is selected in the target form, or other target document. For instance, currently available clipboard systems are not well suited to transferring multiple data elements such as a first name, last name, age, city, zip, state, country from a source document to respective form fields, and/or locations, in a target form, or other target document because when the clipboard content data is pasted in a given field, such as the first name, last name, age, city, zip, state, country, will be transferred to the First Name field.
In addition using currently available clipboard systems, when the copy function is activated a copy of the current selection is obtained on the clipboard but all the previous content of the clipboard is destroyed.
As a result of the situation described above, a user desiring to transfer source data from one or more source documents to data fields in an electronic form, or other target document, must typically choose between using the highly inefficient, but arguably reliable and flexible, conventional toggle-memorize/cut-toggle-enter/paste process described above, the automated, but largely inflexible and often unreliable, automated mapping systems currently available, and/or currently available clipboard systems having the shortcomings discussed above. Consequently, whichever choice the user makes, currently available methods and systems for transferring source data from one or more source documents to data fields in an electronic form, or other target document, leave much to be desired.